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Executive Team

Susan Levine

Executive Director

Susan Levine has served since 1994 as executive director of Hospice of the Valley. Over that period the agency has grown from serving 130 patients a day with a $5 million annual budget to caring for nearly 17,000 patients a year with a $162 million annual budget.

Levine is a passionate advocate of community-based end-of-life care. Currently she serves as chair of Hospice Association of America and is a member of the National Association of Home Care and Hospice Board. She also serves on the Health Care Policy Advisory Council of Harvard Medical School.

Levine has a bachelor’s degree in educational psychology. Her early career focused on elementary school teaching and retail management for Saks Fifth Avenue. At midlife she obtained her nursing degree, worked as a hospital staff nurse, then managed a home health care company. She is among "Arizona's 48 Most Intriguing Women," a diverse group selected for the Arizona Centennial Legacy Project by the Arizona Historical Society and the Arizona Community Foundation. Awards include ASU Center for Non-Profit Leadership Executive Director of the Year; NAHC Lifetime Achievement Award; ASU College of Nursing Distinguished Person’s Award, and Anti-Defamation League Leader of Distinction Award.

Gregory K. Mayer, MD, MBA

Senior Vice President

MD, Tulane University School of MedicineMBA, International Management, Thunderbird School of Global ManagementBoard Certification: Hospice & Palliative Medicine

Dr. Mayer is senior vice president for clinical operations. Prior to joining Hospice of the Valley in 1997, Dr. Mayer practiced general surgery for more than 10 years in the Phoenix metropolitan area. He received his postgraduate training in general surgery at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. Currently, Dr. Mayer serves as a staff consultant for the Mayo Clinic Arizona’s Palliative Medicine Service. Professional memberships include the American Medical Association, the Arizona Medical Association and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. In addition, Dr. Mayer is a current member of the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Debbie Shumway, CPA

Senior Vice President

Debbie Shumway is senior vice president of Hospice of the Valley, responsible for finance and support services. She joined the agency as finance director in 1994. The budget has grown from $5 million then to $203 million this year.

In 2009, Shumway was named Chief Financial Officer of the Year in the nonprofit category by the Arizona chapter of Financial Executives International. She was cited for her leadership in growing Hospice of the Valley and her versatility in managing various aspects of the agency that extend beyond financial issues. Shumway also oversees information technology, fund development, volunteers, bereavement, quality/compliance and thrift store outlets that support patient care.

Shumway graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor of science degree in business administration, majoring in accounting and finance. She is a certified public accountant. Before joining Hospice of the Valley, she worked six years as senior accountant and auditor for Arthur Anderson & Co.

She serves on the Health Care Benefit Trust Board for the City of Phoenix.